Public gets its turn to outline budget concerns to lawmakers

BATON ROUGE - People who rely on the state for health care services are urging lawmakers to reverse cuts that Gov. Bobby Jindal proposes to balance next year's budget.

Parents of disabled children on waiting lists for at-home care, leaders of community clinics that rely on state financing and hospitals slated to receive less for taking care of Medicaid services asked the House Appropriations Committee for budget changes.

The committee has done its department-by-department review of Jindal's spending and cut recommendations. Tuesday was the start of public testimony, two days for the state's citizens and advocacy groups to talk about their budget worries.

The governor proposed a $24 billion budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 that includes cuts and uses uncertain financing to close a $1.6 billion budget gap.